Accusation Against Incheon City Council Chair for Circulating '5·18 Distortion' Newspaper... Civic Group Claims "Spreading False Information"

Citizen Group: "Full of False Claims Like 'North Korean Intervention Theory'"

Heo Sik (66), chairman of the Incheon Metropolitan Council, who circulated a newspaper containing content that disparages the May 18 Democratic Uprising to fellow city council members, has been reported to the authorities amid controversy.

On the 12th, the Incheon Regional Solidarity and Incheon Peace Welfare Solidarity filed a complaint with the police against Chairman Heo for violating the Special Act on the May 18 Democratic Uprising.

In the complaint submitted to the Incheon Police Agency on the same day, these civic groups stated, "Chairman Heo distributed a newspaper containing articles such as 'May 18 was a rebellion led by DJ (former President Kim Dae-jung) forces and North Korea' to the offices of 40 city council members, which violates Article 8 (Prohibition of Dissemination of False Information about the May 18 Democratic Uprising) of the Special Act on the May 18 Democratic Uprising."

Representatives from the Incheon Regional Solidarity and Incheon Peace and Welfare Solidarity submitted a complaint against Heo Sik, Chairman of the Incheon City Council, at the Incheon Police Agency on the 12th.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

These groups argued, "In April 1997, the Supreme Court's full bench ruling recognized the May 18 Democratic Uprising as a 'legitimate act to protect the constitutional order carried out by the citizens of Gwangju' and judged the unlawful suppression of protests by the new military regime as a rebellion that disturbed the national order." They added, "In June 2013, during a National Assembly question session, then Prime Minister Jeong Hong-won of the Park Geun-hye administration confirmed that 'North Korean troops did not intervene in the May 18 Democratic Uprising.'"

They further pointed out, "However, the newspaper distributed by Chairman Heo is filled with falsehoods such as the so-called 'North Korean intervention theory,' claiming that May 18 was a 'rebellion led by North Korea.'"

The Special Act on May 18 stipulates that anyone who disseminates false information related to May 18 through newspapers or other publications can be punished with imprisonment of up to five years or a fine of up to 50 million won. The reporting groups claim, "The prohibited acts under the Special Act include the distribution of already published newspapers."

Chairman Heo sparked controversy by distributing a special edition newspaper on May 18 from a specific media outlet to the offices of 40 city council members on the 2nd. The 40-page newspaper contained claims disparaging the May 18 Democratic Uprising, such as "May 18 was a rebellion led by DJ forces and North Korea" and "a significant number of May 18 merit recipients are unrelated to the May 18 event."

When the People Power Party’s Incheon City Party Ethics Committee meeting was scheduled to discuss disciplinary action against him regarding this matter, Chairman Heo resigned from the party on the 8th. However,

he refused to comply with calls for resignation from civic groups and local Democratic Party council members in Incheon. Chairman Heo explained, "I told fellow council members that such a newspaper existed, and since many asked for it, I distributed it for their reference. There was no other intention."

Heosik, Chairman of Incheon City Council
Photo by Incheon City Council

Since taking office in July 2022, Chairman Heo has been embroiled in several controversies over his remarks. Last year, he caused a stir by stating in official settings that "Incheon education is subtly teaching communism" and "children in Michuhol District constantly use profanity."

Additionally, in 2022, he posted on his SNS regarding police officers opposing the Ministry of the Interior and Safety’s establishment of a 'Police Bureau,' saying, "Arrest Moon Jae-in immediately. Use all possible means to detain him," and "If those police scoundrels act up again, prosecute them all. This is a civil war situation," which drew protests from the Incheon Police Workplace Council.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.